ABSTRACT
Consumer issues and lobbying groups promoting consumer rights have done much in recent years to create awareness of social responsibility issues. These include safety, employment conditions, pollution, as well as terms and conditions of purchases. Many organizations now recognize they are part of the broader community and that it is to everyone’s benefit if they ‘put something back’. McDonald’s support of family accommodation near children’s hospitals or Tesco’s computer vouchers for local schools are examples. A more dramatic aspect of social responsibility has been the upsurge of green marketing, with many businesses developing products, marketing mix programmes and manufacturing processes with the intention of safeguarding the planet and reducing any harmful impact on the environment. The rapid growth of low-emission fuels for vehicles, or LPG and electric cars, is an example of green marketing.
